Toy guns which shoot or launch projectiles have been very popular for many years. These guns have been designed to launch projectiles in a number of ways. A common method of launching projectiles has been by the compression of a spring which propels the projectile upon its decompression or release, as, for example, with BB guns and dart guns. These guns however usually do not generate enough force to launch projectiles with great velocity.
Toy guns have also been designed which use compressed air to launch projectiles such as foam darts. These types of guns use a reciprocating air pump to pressurize air within a pressure tank.
Toy guns have also been designed which produce a stream of water and hence are commonly referred to as water guns. Because these guns dispose water they are typically used outdoors. These guns have been designed to eject the stream of water in a number of ways. The most simple method of ejecting water has been by the actuation of a manual pump coupled to the trigger of the gun. The pump is actuated by the mere pressure exerted by one finger of an operator upon the trigger, thus the pump typically cannot generate enough pressure to eject the water a lengthy distance. Additionally, these types of pumps work on the actuation of a compression piston which create single, short bursts of water. However, many children desire the production of an extended stream of water.
Water guns have also been designed with small electric pumps which expel a stream of water from a tube coupled to the pump, as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,706,848 and 4,743,030. However, these small electric pumps typically do not generate enough force to eject the stream of water a lengthy distance.
Water guns have also been designed to include a pressure tank in which stored water is pressurized with the use of compressed air. As with all water gun, these guns do not launch projectiles, an action potentially desirous of children.
Heretofore, children desirous of obtaining a toy gun have had to choose between an air gun which launched projectiles and are therefore used primarily indoors and a water gun which is used outdoors. The only alternative to this has been the purchase of both an air gun and a water gun.
Accordingly, it is seen that a need remains for a toy gun which may be utilized as an air gun and also a water gun to prevent the purchase of both types of toy guns and to provide a dynamic conversion and actuation between firing projectiles and firing streams of water. It is to the provision of such therefore that the present invention is primarily directed.